Bearing the kinship of West Coast gangsta rap legend
Eazy-E, Ruthless Records signees
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony scored a left-field anthem in summer 1994 with "Thuggish Ruggish Bone," the lead single from their debut release, the eight-song
Creepin on ah Come Up EP. The group's harmonious, fast-paced rapping sets them apart from their gangsta rap contemporaries, as does their Midwestern locale. Another highlight here is "For tha Love of Money," which features
Eazy shortly before his unexpected passing away. Capturing
Bone in their prime, back when they were still a cohesive, functional unit with nothing to lose,
Creepin on ah Come Up isn't such a worthwhile listen on its own, but "Thuggish Ruggish Bone" is perhaps the group's signature recording and undoubtedly essential listening for fans, either here or elsewhere, as the song would later be compiled on the
Collection, Vol. 1 best-of (1998). [The 1999 re-release of E 1999 Eternal appended the
Creepin on ah Come Up EP as a bonus disc.]